There is evidence in recent studies completed regarding Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (AD/HD) that children receiving a placebo may accepted better by parents, teachers, and other adults involved in the child’s life. According to an article published in the June edition of Science Daily a study which was done by University at Buffalo pediatric psychologists shows the adults in a child’s life may treat that child differently if the adults believe the child is being treated with a stimulant medication used for AD/HD, even if in reality the child was not being medicated for his or her AD/HD.

The article proves that despite actually being medicated for AD/HD or not is not what counts in some people’s minds. In reality the article seems to prove that adults may treat a child differently when he or she believes the AD/HD child is being medicated by a popular AD/HD classification of known as stimulant medications. The response toward an AD/HD child appeared less favorable for children believed not to be medicated for the AD/HD diagnosis. The researchers were curious to see what the response would be by the adults in an AD/HD child’s life if that child appeared to be medicated by a stimulant AD/HD medication, but was in fact receiving a placebo.

A placebo is basically a sugar pill. The placebo contains no medication, but may look like medicine. According to the Science Daily article, “A placebo effect is a positive change in symptoms or behavior after a patient receives a "fake" medication or procedure". Placebos have long been used in by scientist to prove and or disprove theories.

Before any medication is approved by the FDA the company who manufactures the medicine must run a series of drug studies. In a drug study one group receives a placebo, and the other group receives the actual medicine. Then researchers make observations of both groups to determine if the medication has any unwanted side effects or responses by the patient. If a placebo has an effect it is purely mind over matter, as a placebo is designed to not affect the study. It is designed to be neutral and provide a baseline compared to the medication.

It is imperative that the placebo group does not know he or she is receiving a placebo or the results of the experiment will be skewed and unreliable. It is just as imperative that the group receiving the actual medication remains unaware if they are receiving a placebo or the actual medicine. The placebo effect is actually quite fascinating and has helped scientific research improve how medications work and affect the recipient.

In the article by Science Daily, Placebo Effects In Caregivers May Change Behavior Of Children With ADHD, it was found that if teachers believed a child was receiving a stimulant medication, like Adderall or Ritalin for AD/HD the child’s behavior was perceived more favorably than a child viewed AD/HD and not receiving a stimulant medication. Interestingly this held true for the children both at home and at school.

Families seemed to believe a child was better behaved when it appeared he was taking AD/HD medication, when in reality the AD/HD medication was simply a placebo. The mind is a powerful thing to have an effect on those around the recipient. This phenomenon is known as the placebo effect.